Native Nomad came about as a creative effort to find beauty and serenity with hand made items found both locally and from afar!
The oak tree image for the logo is taken from a special tree that has a lot of significance to my family and friends. Under its branches, we have enjoyed many a sunrise/sunset, campfire, story, song, game, bbq, water fight, jokes and laughter. To me, it represents the enduring love we have for each other and all of the lives that have touched ours from around the world.
My family has been living in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho for 7 generations and I’ve always made time to travel all over the amazing Northwest and learn as much as I can about this region that I love so well. I settled on the name Native Nomad because I’m native to the Northwest, but a nomad at heart. I have also been fortunate enough to travel to 25 U.S. States and most of Europe, enjoying various regions & cultures. For me, finding those quirky, unusual & nuanced spots is the best part of travel; poring through museums, cultural centers, mom & pop shops and eateries is key to understanding a place and its people. I love history, art, culture, science, philosophy, theology and the interplay between all of them. I absolutely love meeting new artists whose work I can incorporate into my own jewelry. Whether they’re stone cutters, lapidary artists, metal smiths, glassblowers, potters or folks who can help me source rare and hard to find pieces, I really enjoy supporting and uplifting other makers who love what they do, but don’t want to make jewelry with their items themselves. We all work together in a connected network of makers and curators, supporting and uplifting each other’s talents.
I’ve always enjoyed arts and crafts and began making jewelry for my friends and I in the early 90’s during college. When I started a family, arts and crafts became an even bigger deal to me, as I found that hands on learning is essential for the growth and development of children. With my family’s encouragement, I began selling my art, furniture, terrariums and jewelry at several local shops and markets in 2017: Tsugawa’s Nursery and Rose & Thorn in Woodland, Magnolia Home Goods in Kalama (now closed), Night Market Vancouver (now Pop Local), The Artful Attic in Camas (also closed). I built my small business gradually for 3 years and opened my own brick and mortar in 2020. While many of us were hiding in our homes and fearful, my family and I spent that year working on getting the shop fleshed out and stocked with many local and U.S. made goods. We wanted to teach our children to be brave in the face of adversity and to never give up on their dreams. My hope was that as we all came out of that difficult and trying time, people would be more inspired to support local craftspeople and build community again. Fortunately, there were those who did have that spark and love for their fellow man, and we were able to pay the bills, never borrowing or using credit. We stayed in the black for 3 years, and are so grateful to all of our customers who supported the shop! Surprisingly, the most popular seller was the jewelry that I was making with a friend of mine for fun. We started with a small table and eventually ended up with several! I carried jewelry from other designers as well, but the best sellers were the ones that we made at the shop. Eventually, I realized that I would have to close the brick and mortar in order to have time to devote solely to creating jewelry and meeting demand. At the end of 2023, the lease was up, and I transitioned my business back to local markets and online sales. I am very thankful for all of the lessons that I learned, and grateful for the opportunity to do what I love and work with amazing people! You can come meet me at the Mountain Timber Market on the Kalama waterfront in Washington State every third weekend of the month. I love it when long-time customers come by for hugs and a chat, and I doubly love meeting and making new friends!
My goal is to be myself, to not judge or divide people and to keep creativity lighthearted & fun! I believe that my customers’ needs are important and that kind and friendly service are essential. Thank you so much for taking the time to understand and read my story, I hope that you agree with the above and will help support my vision!
Blessings! -Sara
To shop, please visit http://shop.nativenomadinc.com
